5th Grade
The Fresh Fruit
and Vegetable Program
Nutrition Curriculum
5th Grade
This material was funded by USDA's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). SNAP provides nutrition assistance to p eople with low
income. It can help you buy nutritious foods for a better diet. To find out more, contact your local DHS office, or call the URI SNAP-Ed Family
Nutrition Program at 1-877-Food-URI (1-877-366-3874).In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture's policy, this institution
is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, political beliefs or disa bility. To file a complaint of
discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250 -9410 or call (800)795-3272
(voice) or (202)720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer .
5th Grade
Introduction
The University of Rhode Island Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program education
component (SNAP-Ed) would like to thank you for your interest in our fruit and vegetable minilessons. This curriculum provides nutrition education that complements your school’s Fresh
Fruit and Vegetable Program. The goals of the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program are to:
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Increase children’s fruit and vegetable consumption.
Expand the variety of fruits and vegetables that children are exposed to.
Make a difference in children’s diets to impact their present and future health.
Create healthier school environments by providing more nutritious food choices.
This program is an important catalyst for change in efforts to combat childhood obesity
and to prevent the chronic diseases associated with obesity. If you have any questions about
this curriculum, please contact Heidi Hetzler at (401) 277-5043 or [email protected]. or
Paula Paolino at (401) 277-5391 or [email protected].
These brief lessons have been developed to be taught during the time at which the fruit
and vegetables are distributed. We have included extra activities at the bottom of some lesson
pages which are meant to be flexible so they may be incorporated into your existing classroom
curricula. Also, a parent newsletter is included in this program which should be sent home
after each week’s activity. Thank you for supporting the program and for helping your students
develop lifelong healthy eating habits.
How to use this curriculum
We would like you to choose one day each week when the children receive a fruit or
vegetable snack to present the brief lesson provided. On the other day(s) that fruit and
vegetables are distributed, we would ask for you to refer to the color message sheet attached.
For example, if your fruit and vegetables are served on Tuesday and Thursday, please choose
one of these days for the lesson and the other will be for the color sheet.
We have provided 5 different color sheets with an important nutrition message for the
students to learn. For example, on the day that you use the color sheet, if the fruit or vegetable
is red, please refer to the red sheet and read off the saying provided, then have the students
repeat the phrase. In addition, if it is a fruit that day, please read the fruit message, and if it is
a vegetable please read the vegetable message. Eventually, your students will be able to come
up with each day’s message on their own.
5th Grade
Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Program Lesson Plans
5th Grade
Lesson 1: My Plate-Fruits and Vegetables
Lesson 2: Focus on Fruit
Lesson 3: Vary your Veggies
Lesson 4: Variety
Lesson 5: Plant Parts We Eat
Lesson 6: Family Foods
Lesson 7: Be Media Smart
Lesson 8: Go Slow Whoa
5th Grade
Lesson 1: My Plate- Fruit & Vegetables
Nutrition Objectives:
1.Students will be able to identify the food groups on the MyPlate poster.
2. Students will be able to state that half of his/her plate should be filled with fruits and vegetables.
Supplies/Materials:
 MyPlate poster with colored bands and pictures of food
Opening:
 Today we are learning about the five food groups and MyPlate. Instead of MyPyramid, we now
use MyPlate as a guide to help us eat more healthfully.
Activity #1: MyPlate poster

Refer to the bottom of the MyPlate poster and ask the following questions.
Ask Can you name a food group and some foods that belong in that group? (Point to the food.)
 Green is the vegetable group which has lettuce, carrots, corn, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
 Red is the fruit group with has apples, bananas, pears, grapes, and 100% fruit juice.
 Orange is the grain group which includes cereal, bread, bagels, rice and pasta.
 Purple is the protein group which has meat, fish, chicken, beans, eggs, and peanut butter.
 Blue is the dairy group which includes milk, yogurt and cheese.
 Now let’s look at the plate on the upper portion of the poster.
Ask What meal do you eat that looks most like this plate? (dinner)
Ask What food group does the green color represent?
 The green section is the vegetable group. (Point to the green section.)
 You need 2 cups of vegetables every day.
Ask What food group does the red color represent?
 The red color is the fruit group. (Point to the red section.)
 You need 2 cups of fruit every day.
Ask How much of your plate is full if you combine fruits and vegetables? (one- half)
Activity #2: How many fruits and vegetables can you think of?
 Group the students in teams of two. Give them about 3 minutes to write down as many fruits
and vegetables they can think of. Share the teams’ results.
 Which team thought of the most? Does any team have a fruit or vegetable that no one else
thought of?
 Have students circle the fruits and vegetables on their lists that they have never tried. Put a star
next to the fruits and vegetables they’re willing to try for the first time or try again.
Classroom Connections (English/Language Arts): Have students write a haiku about their favorite fruit
or vegetable. Suggest describing its color, shape, texture, and taste! Refer to “Let’s Get Descriptive” in
the front of the binder. (A haiku is a short poem arranged in three lines. The poem has a total of 17
syllables, in the pattern 5-7-5). Example:
Apple
Red, round, and shiny,
Considered nature’s toothbrush,
Refreshingly sweet.
5th Grade
Lesson 2: Focus on Fruit
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify five different types of fruit.
2. Students will be able to provide 2 examples of how to eat 2 cups of fruit each day.
Supplies/Materials:
 6 Fruit picture cards
 Measuring cup
 My Fruit Diary worksheet
 What Counts as 1 Cup of Fruit? (reference sheet for teacher)
Opening:
Ask Let’s review. What are the five food groups? What food group is represented by each color?
 Today we are learning about the amount of fruit you need to eat every day to be healthy.
Ask What color is the fruit group on the MyPlate poster? (red) Display the poster.
Ask How many cups of fruit do you need to eat every day? (at least 2 cups)
Ask Why is it important to eat at least 2 cups of fruit every day? (Fruit contains vitamin C, which
helps keep you from getting a cold. Fruit also keeps our teeth, gums, and bones strong and healthy.)
Activity #1: How much is a cup of fruit? Refer to “What Counts as 1 Cup of Fruit?” reference sheet.
 Show students the picture cards provided. Each card has an amount listed on it. Hold up the
appropriate measuring cup to reinforce what the amount looks like. Examples:
o 1 cup of fruit equals one piece of fruit like an apple, orange, or banana
o 1 cup of fruit equals 1 cup of chopped fruit like fruit salad or fruit cocktail (packed in
natural juice)
o 1 cup of fruit equals 32 red seedless grapes
o 1 cup of fruit equals ½ cup of dried fruit like raisins
o 1 cup of fruit equals 8 fluid ounces of 100% fruit juice
o 1 cup of fruit equals 2 small pieces of fruit like kiwi
o ½ cup fruit received as a snack in school (You need 4 servings this size to equal 2 cups
of fruit which you should eat every day.)
Ask a student volunteer to show the class what their daily fruit intake (2 cups) should look like, using the
food cards. Refer to My Favorite Fruits reference sheet for answers. Examples:
 2 kiwi and 1 cup 100% juice
 1 banana and ½ cup raisins
 32 red seedless grapes and 1 cup of chopped fruit (fruit salad)
Add-on: My Fruit Diary - Have students write down the fruit they eat for the next two days (starting
with today), and estimate about how much they ate of each. Remind the students that all forms of fruit
count: fresh, frozen, canned, dried and 100% fruit juice. Did they eat at least 2 cups each day?
Classroom Connections (Math): Have students bring in their Fruit Diaries. Add up the total amount of
fruit eaten by the class in one day. What is the average amount of fruit eaten by each student?
Classroom Connections (English/Language Arts): Name That Fruit - Instruct the students to work with a
partner or in a group to complete the worksheet. Share the answers with the class.
5th Grade
Lesson 3: Vary your Veggies
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify five different types of vegetables.
2. Students will be able to provide 2 examples of how to eat 2 cups of vegetables every day.
Supplies/Materials:
 6 Vegetable picture cards
 Measuring cup
 My Vegetable Diary worksheet
 What Counts as 1 Cup of Vegetables? (reference sheet for teacher)
Opening:
 Today we are learning about the amount of vegetables you need to eat every day to be healthy.
Ask What color is the vegetable group on the MyPlate poster? (green) Display the poster.
Ask How many vegetables do you need to eat every day? (at least 2 cups)
Ask Why is it important to eat at least 2 cups of vegetables every day? (Vegetables contain vitamins
and minerals that keep us healthy and strong. They also contain fiber, which keeps food moving through
your body so it helps you go to the bathroom.)
Activity #1: How much is a cup of vegetables? Refer to “What Counts as 1 Cup of Vegetables?”
o Show students the vegetable cards provided. Each card has an amount listed on it. Hold
up the appropriate measuring cup to reinforce what the amount looks like. Examples:
o 1 cup of vegetables equals 1 cup of raw or cooked vegetables like broccoli, corn, peas,
cucumbers, green beans, mushrooms, tomatoes, peppers or zucchini
o 1 cup of vegetables equals 1 large sweet potato
o 1 cup of vegetables equals 12 baby carrots or 2 medium carrots
o 1 cup of vegetables equals 1 cup of cooked beans and peas such as black, kidney, pinto,
soy beans, black eyed peas, or split peas
o 1 cup of vegetables equals 2 cups of raw leafy greens like lettuce and spinach
o 1 cup of vegetables equals 8 fluid ounces of 100% tomato or vegetable juice
o ½ cup vegetables received as a snack in school (You need 4 servings this size to equal 2
cups of vegetables which you should eat every day.)
Ask a student volunteer to show the class what their daily vegetable intake (2 cups) should look like,
using the food cards. Refer to My Favorite Vegetables reference sheet for answers. Examples:
 1 cup of green beans and 1 cup(8 fluid ounces) of 100% tomato or vegetable juice
 2 cups of raw spinach and 1 large sweet potato
 12 baby carrots and 1 cup of broccoli
Add-on: My Vegetable Diary - Have students write down the vegetables they eat for the next two days
(starting with today) and estimate about how much they ate of each. Remind the students that all forms
count: fresh, frozen, canned, dried, and 100% vegetable juice. Did they eat at least 2 cups each day?
Classroom Connections (Math): Have students bring in their Veggie Diaries. Add up the total amount of
vegetables eaten by the class in one day. What is the ave. amount of vegetables eaten by each child?
Classroom Connections (English/Language Arts): Fruit and Veggie Fill Ins – Instruct the students to
work with a partner or in a group to complete the worksheet. Share the answers with the class.
5th Grade
Lesson 4: Variety
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will learn how to choose a variety of fruit and vegetables.
Supplies/Materials:
 Catch a Rainbow Every Day! (one for teacher )
 Fruit and Veggie Variety worksheet (one for each student)
 The Color Chart handout (one for teacher)
Opening:
 Today we are learning how to choose a variety of fruit and vegetables.
 Raise your hand if you have tried a new fruit or vegetable this week.
 Raise your hand if your dinner plate was half full of fruits and vegetables last night.
Ask How many of you have asked the person who cooks in your house to buy and/or prepare more
fruits and vegetables?
Ask Who can explain what variety means? (different colors, shapes, sizes and types of food)
Ask Why is it important to eat a variety of foods? (Different fruits and veggies give our bodies different
vitamins and minerals we need to grow strong and be healthy. We want to eat a variety of colorful fruit
and veggies for healthy skin and eyes, to fight infections and help keep us from getting sick.)
Activity #1: Fruit and Veggie Variety
 Distribute the “Fruit and Veggie Variety” handout. See the sample questions below to guide the
students as they fill it out. Refer to the “Color Sheets” in the beginning of the binder to
brainstorm fruits and vegetables of each color. The children should record the fruits and
vegetables on their “Fruit and Veggie Variety” handouts as well.
 A good way to get a variety of fruits and vegetables is to choose different colors each day. Each
different color helps a different part of the body. Tell the students to think about a rainbow and
show them the “Catch a Rainbow Every Day” sheet.
Sample questions:
Ask What part of the body helps to keep you strong? (muscles)
Ask Can you guess what color fruits and vegetables help to keep your muscles strong? (white)
Ask What are some examples of white fruits and veggies? (potatoes, bananas, pears, mushrooms,
cauliflower, onions)
o White: Keeps your body strong and safe against germs. Note: white fruits and vegetables
are those that are white on the inside like potatoes and cucumbers, or those that are
white inside and outside like mushrooms.
o Red: Keeps your heart strong and your memory sharp. (tomatoes, strawberries, cherries)
o Green: Helps you go to the bathroom. (spinach, broccoli, grapes, kiwi)
o Purple/Blue: Helps you learn and remember. (eggplant, blueberries, plum, grapes)
o Yellow/Orange: Keeps your eyes healthy, your skin glowing and helps to keep you from
getting a cold. (sweet potatoes, corn, carrots, cantaloupe, peppers)
Add-on: Follow the directions on the back of Catch a Rainbow Every Day to play the Fruit & Vegetable
Name Game.
5th Grade
Lesson 5: Plant Parts We Eat
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify the six different parts of the plant that we eat.
Supplies/Materials:
 Plant Parts We Eat worksheet (one for each student; it has six pictures)
 The Plants We Eat Reference List (one for teacher)
Opening:
Ask Who ate a lot of different colored fruits and vegetables yesterday and can tell us what you ate?
 Today we are going to learn about the different parts of the plant that we eat.
Activity #1: Plant Parts
 Hand out the “Plant Parts We Eat” worksheet. Complete the worksheet with the students. Refer
to the answer key and “The Plants We Eat Reference List.”
Ask What is the difference between a fruit and a vegetable?
Ask What are the different parts of a plant?
 A plant is made up of a root, stem, fruit, leaves, flowers, and seeds (write these 6 words on the
board).
o Root: Holds the plant in place and takes in water and minerals from the soil.
o Stem: Transports water, minerals, and sugar throughout the plant.
o Fruit: Contains the seeds for the plant to reproduce.
o Leaves: Produce food for the plant through photosynthesis.
o Flower: Produces seeds so the plant can reproduce.
o Seed: Contains everything needed to grow a new plant.
Ask Can anyone name the vegetable we eat when we eat the leaves of the plant? (lettuce,spinach)
Ask We eat the root of the plant when we eat this vegetable. What is it? (carrots, radishes)
Ask If you eat this vegetable you are eating the stem of the plant. What is it? (celery, asparagus)
Ask What vegetable are you eating when you are eating the seeds of the plant? (corn, peas)
Ask Who knows which vegetable we eat when we eat the flowers of the plant? (broccoli, cauliflower)
Ask We eat the fruit of the plant when we eat this vegetable. What is it? (tomatoes, cucumbers)
Add-on: Have students keep a list of all the fruit and vegetables they eat for a day. Have them name
which plant part each food comes from.
Classroom Connections (Math): Kitchen Calculations - review the directions and measurement tables
and instruct the students to complete the worksheet.
Classroom Connections (Science): “Dissect” a fruit or vegetable and describe the function of each part.
5th Grade
Lesson 6: Family Foods
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify 1 fruit and 1 vegetable that is important to their family’s diet.
Supplies/Materials:
 Family Foods worksheet (one for each pair of students)
 Fruit and Vegetable Pledge form (one for the entire class)
Opening:
Ask Who ate the root of a vegetable this week? What vegetable did you eat? (carrot, potato)
Ask Who ate the stem of a vegetable this week? What vegetable did you eat? (celery, asparagus)
Ask Who ate the seeds of a vegetable this week? What vegetable did you eat? (corn,peas)
 Today we are learning about the different food traditions that your family has.
Ask Who has a special food that is part of your family’s culture?
 What we eat is determined by many factors, including certain foods that come from the
traditions of our family and our culture.
 Example #1: Many families from Central and South America eat rice and beans almost every day.
 Example #2: In Ethiopia, people do not eat with utensils—instead, they use spongy unleavened
bread called injera (pronounced in-jeer-ah) to scoop up stews made of vegetables and lentils.
 Example #3: Here in Rhode Island, many students drink coffee milk in school. In other parts of
the United States, students usually drink only plain or chocolate milk.
Activity #1: Family Foods Interview
 Put students in pairs. Hand out one copy of the Family Foods worksheet per pair and have one
student be the interviewer. The interviewer asks the other student the questions and records
the answers.
 Repeat the interview activity, giving the other student a chance to be the interviewer
 Have students share their family’s favorite fruits and vegetables with the class.
Ask Now that you’ve learned about some special foods that are part of different cultures, who is
ready to pledge to eat more fruits and vegetables and to convince their family to do the same? By
signing your name on this certificate, you are making a promise to eat more fruits and vegetables and to
try to persuade the members of your family to also eat more fruits and vegetables.
Activity #2 Sign Pledge Form
 Have the entire class sign the Pledge Form and hang it in a prominent place in the classroom.
Refer to it periodically as a reminder to the children to eat more fruits and vegetables.
Classroom Connections (Social Studies): Have each student pick a different country and research the
food traditions of its people. What fruit and vegetables do they eat in that culture?
5th Grade
Lesson 7: Be Media Smart
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will become aware of how the media can impact what they eat.
Supplies/Materials:
 Food Brand cards (for teacher)
 Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables (reference sheet for the teacher)
Opening:
 Today we are learning about food advertising and how it can affect what you eat.
Ask What kinds of foods do you usually see ads for?
 Most advertising money is spent to promote unhealthy foods like fast food, soda, sugary cereals,
and candy. Most of these ads are aimed at children and teenagers.
Activity #1: Food Brands
 Food Brand cards are included with this lesson.
 Present the food pairs one at a time and ask students which food they would prefer to eat or
drink- item A or item B? Tally the votes on the board and circle the winner.
Ask What do the A items have in common? (They are all brand names with big advertising budgets.
The B items are made by lesser known companies and have little or no advertising.)
Ask Do you think the brand of a food affects what you eat? (Most people are not even aware that they
choose highly advertised foods more often than less advertised foods. Advertisers spend a lot of money
to make you think their food is the best choice.)
Ask Do you ever see advertising for fruit or vegetables? (Very little money is spent on ads for healthy
foods like fruits and vegetables because they are not owned by large companies the same way processed
food products are.)
Ask Do you think people would eat more fruit and vegetables if there was more advertising for them?
Classroom Connections (Language Arts/Writing) : Continue the discussion about the power of
persuasion and how businesses and organizations rely on market research and clever marketing tactics
to entice consumers to purchase their products. Instruct the students to write a persuasive letter to
their families encouraging them to eat more fruits and vegetables. Brainstorm a list of ideas with the
students using the “Top 10 Reasons to Eat More Fruits and Vegetables” as a guide.
Add-on #1: Create a Poster - Have students create their own posters and catchy slogans that persuade
their peers and the school staff to eat more fruits and vegetables. Display them in the school hallways.
(Refer to the example.)
Add-on #2: Add up the Ads - Ask students to carry the worksheet around with them for one day and
record all of the advertisements they see for food products. Remind them that we see ads on TV
commercials, the internet, in movies, and on the radio. The next day, ask: Did anyone see an ad for
fruits or vegetables?
5th Grade
Lesson 8: Go Slow Whoa
Nutrition Objectives:
1. Students will be able to name a fruit or vegetable they should eat every day, sometimes, or once
in a while.
Supplies/Materials:
 MyPlate poster
 3 vegetable pictures (baked potato, mashed potatoes, French fries)
 3 fruit pictures (apple, applesauce, apple pie)
 Fruit and Vegetables: Make Healthy Choices handout (one for each student)
 Fruit & Veggie Icons worksheet (one for each student)
 tape
Opening: Today we are learning how to make the healthiest choices when we eat fruits and vegetables.
Refer to Fruits and Vegetables: Make Healthy Choices handout.
Activity #1: Food Pictures Demonstration

Ask
Fruits and vegetables are most healthy in their natural forms; the way you would get them right
from a plant or a tree. We call these the “go” foods, meaning these are the healthiest fruits and
vegetables because they contain a lot of vitamins and minerals to keep you healthy. You should
eat them every day. Let’s talk about fruits first:
What is an example of a “go” fruit? (apple, strawberries, bananas, grapes, pears, etc.)

“Slow” fruits are fruits that are higher in sugar than the “go” fruits or have some added sugar.
You can eat these sometimes. These include dried fruit or canned fruit packed in syrup.
 “Whoa” fruits have lots of calories, added sugar and/or fat and not a lot of important nutrients
your body needs like fiber and vitamins and minerals.)
Ask What are some examples of “whoa” fruits that you should eat only once in a while? (fruit pies,
pastry and desserts with fruit in them and fruits packed in heavy syrup)
 Show the children the 3 fruit pictures (apple, applesauce, and apple pie) and have them decide
which is the “go”,“slow”and “whoa” example.
 Call on someone to tape the “go” fruit on the MyPlate poster.
 Let’s talk about vegetables next. Show the children the three vegetable pictures. (baked potato,
mashed potatoes and French fries)
AskWhich one is the “go” food (baked potato), the “slow” food (mashed potatoes because you add
some butter, cream, cheese and salt to it), and the “whoa” food? (French fries because they are fried in
lots of oil and salt is added)
 Call on someone to tape the healthiest example of a potato (baked) on the MyPlate poster.
 Notice that ½ the plate is full of fruit & veggies. That means that half of your plate should be
foods that come from plants, not animals.
Activity #2: Fruit and Veggie Icons: Complete with a partner and review the answers with the class.
Classroom Connection (Math/Problem Solving): Work with a partner to solve Energy Code-Breaker.